Overseas shipments rose 4.3 percent from a year earlier,
the General Administration of Customs said today in Beijing.
That compares with the median estimate for 5 percent growth from
39 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Imports increased 8.3
percent, leaving a narrower-than-projected trade surplus of
$25.64 billion.

The data help flesh out a picture of the world’s second-largest economy in the fourth quarter after previously reported
declines in December manufacturing and services gauges and the
22nd straight decline in the producer-price index, the longest
streak since the Asian financial crisis. The statistics bureau
reports gross domestic product for the October-to-December
period on Jan. 20.

Analysts’ estimates for export gains ranged from 0.5
percent to 9 percent. Imports were projected to rise 5 percent,
and the trade surplus was forecast at $32.15 billion, based on
median projections of economists.

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story:
Xiaoqing Pi in Beijing at
xpi1@bloomberg.net